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Antares A-ONE

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(Redirected from Cygnus Mass Simulator)

Antares A-ONE
The Antares 110 lifts off at the start of the mission
NamesSimulated Cygnus Payload [1]
Mission typeFlight test
OperatorOrbital Sciences Corporation
COSPAR ID2013-016D
SATCAT no.39145
Mission duration19 days
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftCygnus mass simulator
ManufacturerOrbital Sciences Corporation
Launch mass3,800 kg (8,400 lb)
Dimensions5.061 m × 2.896 m (16.60 ft × 9.50 ft)
Start of mission
Launch date21 April 2013, 21:00:00 UTC[2][3]
RocketAntares 110[4]
Launch siteWallops, Pad 0A
ContractorOrbital Sciences Corporation
End of mission
DisposalDeorbited
Decay date10 May 2013
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric orbit[5]
RegimeLow Earth orbit
Perigee altitude240 km (150 mi)
Apogee altitude260 km (160 mi)
Inclination51.6°

Orbital Sciences insignia

Antares A-ONE mission was the maiden flight of Orbital Sciences Corporation' Antares launch vehicle including the ascent to space and accurate delivery of a simulated payload, the Cygnus Mass Simulator (CMS), which was launched 21 April 2013.[5] It was launched from Pad 0A at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS), Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia.[5] The simulated payload simulates the mass of the Cygnus cargo spacecraft.[5] This dummy payload was sent into an orbit of 240 km × 260 km (150 mi × 160 mi) with an orbital inclination of 51.6°, the same launch profile it uses for Orbital's Cygnus cargo supply missions to the International Space Station (ISS) for NASA.[5]

This launch along with several other activities leading up to it, are paid milestones under NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program.[6]

Primary payload

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The primary payload was the Cygnus Mass Simulator. It had a height of 5.061 m (16.60 ft), a diameter of 2.896 m (9 ft 6.0 in) and a mass of 3,800 kg (8,400 lb).[7] It was equipped with 22 accelerometers, 2 microphones, 12 digital thermometers, 24 thermocouples and 12 strain gages.[7]

Secondary payloads

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Four Spaceflight Industries Inc. CubeSat nanosatellites were deployed from the dummy payload.[8]

The secondary payloads were four CubeSats that were deployed from the CMS.[7] Three of them were PhoneSats, 1U CubeSats built by NASA's Ames Research Center.[7] These were named Alexander, Graham and Bell, after the Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone.[7] The purpose of these three satellites was to demonstrate the use of smartphones as avionics in CubeSats.[7] They each had a mass of 1,124 kg (2,478 lb) and were powered by lithium batteries.[7] The fourth nanosat was a 3U CubeSat, called Dove-1, built by Cosmogia Inc. It carried a "technology development Earth imagery experiment" using the Earth's magnetic field for attitude control.[7][9]

Mission timeline

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  • Lift off of the Antares launch vehicle occurs two seconds after the first stage engines are ignited
  • The first stage engines shut off 228 seconds after lift-off
  • At 233 seconds, the first stage separates from the second
  • At 317 seconds, the payload fairing is jettisoned
  • At 326 seconds, the second stage's engine is ignited
  • At 481 seconds, the second stage is shut off
  • At 601 seconds, the Cygnus Mass Simulator separates [5]
Attempt Planned Result Turnaround Reason Decision point Weather go (%) Notes
1 17 Apr 2013, 5:00:00 pm scrubbed — technical 17 Apr 2013, 4:44 pm ​(T-12:00 hold) 60% [10] Premature disconnect of upper stage umbilical cable during T-12:00 hold [11]
2 20 Apr 2013, 6:10:00 pm scrubbed 3 days 1 hour 10 minutes weather 20 Apr 2013, 4:30 pm 90% [12]
3 21 Apr 2013, 5:00:00 pm success 0 days 22 hours 50 minutes 80% First flight of Antares [13]
[edit]
Antares A-ONE
  • Cygnus mass simulator
    Cygnus mass simulator
  • Integrated Antares rocket
    Integrated Antares rocket
  • Launch of A-ONE
    Launch of A-ONE
  • Antares in flight
    Antares in flight

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Display: Simulated Cygnus Payload 2013-016D". NASA. 27 April 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2021. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. ^ "Antares A-ONE Mission Coverage". Spaceflight101. 21 April 2013. Archived from the original on 15 February 2016. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
  3. ^ Clark, Stephen (20 April 2013). "Antares A-One Mission Status Center". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 20 April 2013.
  4. ^ Bergin, Chris (22 February 2012). "Space industry giants Orbital upbeat ahead of Antares debut". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved 29 March 2012.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "Orbital Sciences successfully launches first Antares rocket". Northrop Grumman. 21 April 2013. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  6. ^ This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h "Antares Test Launch "A-ONE Mission" Overview Briefing" (PDF). Orbital Sciences. 17 April 2013. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
  8. ^ Lindsey, Clark (21 March 2013). "Spaceflight Services installs four nanosats on Antares rocket". NewSpace Watch. Archived from the original on 20 May 2013. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
  9. ^ This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  10. ^ Orbital Sciences (17 April 2013). "Still marching toward the first launch..." Twitter.
  11. ^ Orbital Sciences (17 April 2013). "The umbilical was a data cable connected..." Twitter.
  12. ^ Orbital Sciences (20 April 2013). "#Antares launch attempt scrubbed..." Twitter.
  13. ^ Harwood, William (21 April 2013). "Antares rocket climbs into space on maiden flight". CBS News.
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